Antique tortoiseshell, silver gilt and enamel singing bird box by the famous swiss firm of Rochat with a very rare song and of a very small size. Superb and perfect tortoiseshell case with hinged snuff or key compartment to rear of case. The lid with superb painting of flowers on a pale blue background. The underside of the lid also painted with flowers but with a turqoise background. Key wound chain driven fusee movement working the bellows & driving cams that on sliding the operating slide to the front, the lid opens and the bird pops up and 1/ opens & shuts the ivory beak, 2/ turns its head from left to right, 3/ flaps the wings, 4/ pirouettes left and right. On completion of his 20 second performance he drops through the pierced silver gilt grille and the lid closes after him.The lid has its usual locking plate and the grille is typical of the Rochat patern. What is particularly unusual is the nature of the song that the bird sings. The first two bars are of birdsong but for the next four bars he whistles a tune, not birdsong , the next two bars return to pure birdsong. This is a feature that I have never seen on any other birdbox. The box is wound by a male key, again typical of Rochat. The movement is signed with monogram in a cartouche "FR" for Freres Rochat and numbered 454. Swiss circa 1825. 3.625 inches wide by 2.25 inches deep by 1 inch high ( 9.06 cms by 5.625 cms by 2.5 cms).